Business

Press release:

Officials from the City of Batavia and the Batavia Development Corporation will make a presentation to the Board of Directors of the Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) at the agency’s Feb. 4 board meeting. The GCEDC Board of Directors is considering entering into an inter-municipal agreement to assist with the funding of new development projects in the City of Batavia.

The presentation will include an overview of the “Batavia Pathway to Prosperity” (B2P) program and its role in leveraging economic development activity through a PILOT increment financing (PIF) initiative; strategies for redeveloping the Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA) sites; attracting new employers and jobs; increasing property values; and, exploring key market opportunities in the City of Batavia.

In addition to the presentation, the board will consider the acceptance of an application to set a public hearing for Darien Lake Theme Park Resort’s 2016 Tourism Destination Project. Darien Lake’s new project includes a six-flume waterslide and a new roller coaster train.

The total request for incentives for the Darien Lake project is $189,200 in sales tax exemptions for the construction and equipping of the new rides and enhancements. The total capital investment for both park projects is approximately $2.8 million.

The GCEDC board meeting will take place at 4 p.m. and is open to the public. Meetings are held at the Innovation Zone Conference Room at MedTech Centre -- 99 MedTech Drive, Batavia, on the first floor, across from Genesee Community College.

Press release:

Members of the City of Batavia Fire Department IAFF Local 896 pair up with the Muscular Dystrophy Association every June to participate in the annual Fill the Boot fundraising campaign to benefit children and adults with muscle disease throughout the Greater Rochester and Buffalo areas. Members volunteer their time to fan out on city streets with boots in hand to raise money from local traffic.

To help the MDA throughout the year, members have created several “traveling boot” displays. With approval from local businesses, these displays have been placed in various business locations throughout the city. The “traveling boot” will stay in one location for a short period of time, before moving to a new location.  Customers and patrons can place loose change and dollars in the boot and help raise money for the MDA. The first boots have been placed in Dunkin’ Donuts and Southside Deli.

Batavia’s Fill the Boot drive is organized by firefighters Chris Morasco and Mark Sacheli.

“The communities’ generosity as well as great participation from our members has continued to make this program a success. The 'traveling boots' are a way that we can give back to the MDA more than just one day a year. It is a great cause, and we look forward to a successful fundraising campaign for the 2016 year.”

Batavia simply didn't work out for Coffee Culture, said Perry Ouzounis, VP of operations for the chain's corporate parent.

"There's no doubt about it, it's never an easy decision to close a store, but the market there wasn't very strong for us," Ouzounis said.

The Batavia closing was one of three Coffee Culture locations in WNY that closed last week, Ouzounis said, but other locations, including in Buffalo and Erie, Pa., as well as locations in Canada and Florida, continue to do well.

The closure of the Batavia store last week was big news, garnering a substantial number of page views to The Batavian's initial report of the signs being removed from the building. The coffee shop did seem popular, at least to some extent, in Batavia.

"Of course, I'm not prepared to share our P&L," Ouzounis said. "It just wasn't a viable location for us."

When the shop first opened, the company was actively seeking a franchisee to take over operations, but in two years, no potential owner stepped forward.

Ouzounis said it's tough letting their employees go, but they are receiving all pay due and other separation benefits.

"We are doing the right thing within state law," Ouzounis said.

Ouzounis said Coffee Culture is not finished growing and will look for new opportunties for new stores, but that, "unfortunately," Batavia wasn't meeting the company's goals for "long-term success."

Larry's Steakhouse has closed, but the Mullen family is far from done with serving up great meals at 60 Main St., Batavia.

Owner Steve Mullen is stepping aside and his son Brendon Mullen is planning a new restaurant at the same location, which will be called Carter's.

"I don't want to say a lot about it right now, but it's going to be something this town will be excited about," Brendon said. "It's going to be a culinary experience like nothing ever seen here."

While there is a chance the new restaurant could open within weeks, two or three months might be a more realistic time frame, Brendon said. It will take time to secure a new liquor license. 

Steve said he thanks all the patrons for their support of Larry's.

Any gift certificates for Larry's that have not yet been redeemed will be honored by Carter's once it opens.

Photo provided by Maxine (Palmer) Koberg taken early on the job in 1969 as a Civil Service clerical worker for Genesee Community College.

In October, 1969, Maxine Koberg (nee Palmer), was excited to start her new job as a clerical worker at the fledgling Genesee Community College.

The Batavia native had graduated from high school five years earlier and worked steadily since turning 18. When she found an opportunity to take a Civil Service test, she didn't hesitate and was subsequently delighted to learn she'd passed the clerical exam and was eligible for employment. After landing a job at the college, she said she liked it and was capable of performing the duties and she planned to stick with it.

And stick with it, she did, for more than 46 years.

"You don't think about it," Koberg said. "The years go by. You know you'll retire someday, but you don't really think about it. And now here I am."

It dawned on her recently that the familiar route commuting to and from the college and her home in Elba would no longer be part of her daily itinerary after Friday, which was her last day.

The original route was different in the beginning of her employment at GCC.

The campus at One College Road off Stephen R. Hawley Drive in the Town of Batavia did not yet exist.

The college was chartered in 1966 and its first digs were in 56,000 square feet of space in the "Valu Tech Center" on West Main Street in Batavia, which was home to the Valu department store. The first class of 378 full-time and 243 part-time students began their studies the following fall semester. 

"In the beginning, I was working with students," Koberg said. "You tried to be helpful and they were fun and polite and you got to stay with them a couple of years. There were plenty 'please' and 'thank-yous'."

Koberg recalled the library was in front and there were a couple of offices in the back. Her department consisted of two clerks, including herself, a secretary and a Librarian David Brewster. Things were not computerized then. Keeping track of orders, payments, inventory, book loans, etc., was done manually.

In 1972, The Big Move to the new campus came. Boxing up the books and hauling them to the new location and organizing them -- "It was quite a big job," Koberg said. Staff supervised college students in the work/study program who did the bulk of the heavy lifting.

"When we first went to the new building, I was at the circulation desk. That's where you signed out books, reserved materials for students, and supervised the work/study students. And you greet everybody."

There was a growing population of international students, who could sometimes be difficult to understand because of the language barrier, Koberg said, but throughout the years, the 'please' and 'thank-yous' were abundantly offered. Although, as always, she noted some students have better manners than others. A noticeable difference campus-wide, of course, is the proliferation of electronic gadgets that students appear glued to.

At some point, she was asked if she wanted to leave the front desk and the students, and work on library's clerical staff ordering books and doing related tasks. She decided to take the challenge, which eventually included learning daunting new computer skills and paying bills.

"There was never a time when I didn't like working with books. I knew my programs and how to get books ordered and get them on the shelf. As courses changed, books changed -- like for our Allied Health Program -- but it's all office work."

Which means paying attention to details.

"Be careful about what you're doing, get the right books ordered, received and processed. Get the bills paid, in the right amount. Live within your budget. We have a good system and we work together."

After more than four decades on the job, her coworkers were like a second family and the workplace, a sort of home away from home. She says her colleagues held down the fort while she took two maternity leaves, helped her through some rough patches on the road of life, and she has appreciated their supportiveness, assistance and the camaraderie along the way.

The staff meshed at the Alfred C. O'Connell Library, named after the college's first president.

"We did work well together."

As for her newly retired status, it'll take some getting used to. No big plans afoot. No vacation in the works.

"I'm just going to take it day by day and see how it goes," Koberg said.

For more information about this program, contact Chuck DiPasquale, director of Programs, at (585) 344-7552. Applications may be downloaded at http://www.gvboces.org/adulted.cfm?subpage=1216002 and are due by Feb. 24.  

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The Genesee Valley Educational Partnership operates as a Board of Cooperative Educational Services offering shared programs and services to 22 component school districts located in Genesee, Wyoming, Livingston and Steuben counties in New York State. 

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) recently announced that he will host Operation Entrepreneurship, free business start-up training for veterans and military family members. The event will take place on Thursday, Feb. 4, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Genesee Community College in Room T119.

**To register, contact Greg Lindberg at 716-551-5670 or visit www.events.sba.gov**

“As a veteran and small-business owner, I know firsthand the challenges and dedication it takes to succeed in both of these fields,” Hawley said. “I built my business from the ground up and am constantly evolving, evaluating and challenging myself to succeed in New York’s lackluster and competitive business climate.

"I look forward to meeting and working with veterans and their families who have an interest in starting and owning their own business because the American dream is alive and well, and I want to help people realize it.”

The event is being sponsored by the Small Business Association (SBA) and topics covered will include introduction to business ownership, finding the right idea, introduction to business planning, understanding market research, choosing the correct legal entity and other issues. SBA Buffalo District Office Director, Franklin J. Sciortino, also praised the event’s merits.

“The SBA supports our veterans, service members and military families through a number of initiatives,” Sciortino said. “The Operation Entrepreneurship program creates an opportunity for our veterans to learn how to start up in a day, discover resources available to support their business success, and network with other like-minded entrepreneurs.”

WHAT:           Operation Entrepreneurship – Free entrepreneurship training for veterans and military family members

WHO:             Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia)                      

WHEN:           Thursday, Feb. 4

                        8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

WHERE:        Genesee Community College 

                        Room T119, 

                        1 College Road

                        Batavia, NY 14020

Officials celebrated the opening of the new cancer treatment center at UMMC on Wednesday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The $6.5 million center will provide local cancer patients with state-of-the-art treatment.

Dan Ireland, president of UMMC, thanked the dozens of people involved in making the new treatment center a reality. He recalled the most recent UMMC Foundation Auction, where organizers held a special event with the hope of raising $2,000 to help pay for chemo treatment chairs. Donors that night contributed $26,000, covering the cost of 11 treatment stations.

"For the community, by the community," Ireland said. "That demonstrated in just a small portion what our community can do together to make sure their local neighbors have the access to the services they need."

Dawn Lipson, of the Lipson Institute, and with her husband, namesake of the Lipson Cancer Center, said the institute aims to raise hopes and dreams in the fight against cancer.

 "We all hope for a better tomorrow," she said. "We dream about a brighter future. The biggest weapon we have in the fight against cancer is the indomitable spirit. The fact that you all came together, we all part of this big family, and you made this happen, I thank you from the bottom of my heart."

Eric Bieber, president and CEO of the Rochester Regional Health System, came with a gift, the Bell of Hope.

"This is for patients completing treatment," Bieber said. "They ring the bell as they complete treatment. It's a right of passage for their resiliency in their cancer fight, recognizing that making it through weeks of treatment is an achievement. It's our hope that as patients here it, they garner hope and encouragement and they look forward to the day they can ring it."

It was a transfer of a license from another hospital in the Rochester Regional system that enabled UMMC to acquire and install a linear accelerator for radiation treatment at the center.

Suggested Reading: "The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer," by Siddhartha Mukherjee.

Both Julie Pacatte, economic development director the Batavia Development Corp., and City Manager Jason Molino see a very bright horizon for the City of Batavia when they look five years down the road.

A lot of groundwork has been laid over the past couple of years to help transform Batavia's economy and make it a place where both Baby Boomers and Millennials will want to live, work and play.

"Five years from now we'll see a dramatic difference in the city of Batavia," Pacatte said. "I think we will be a community of choice for the Millennial Generation. We are a more diverse community. There will be confidence in investing in the city whether in your home, your own home improvements, or if it's investing in a property Downtown to attract business. I think there will be a dramatic transformation of the landscape."

The optimistic tone was struck during BDC's annual meeting, which was held in council members in City Hall.

And optimism is one of the key drivers of change and growth, Pacatte said during her presentation.

Molino shares the vision.

In fact, he predicts by the Summer of 2017, Downtown Batavia's skyline will be peppered with construction cranes.

"I think we're at the beginning of a renaissance for Batavia," Molino said. "I say that with one caveat, and that is we need to continue with the forward effort we've put forward in the past few years."

That includes improvements to infrastructure, such as sewers and sidewalks, reworking the zoning code through the general plan update process, supporting the BDC and focusing on brownfield redevelopment.

The city and BDC are feeling pretty good this week about a big step forward on one of its biggest projects, transforming the Santy Tire and Dellapenna properties from blighted eyesores into commercial redevelopment.

The BDC is taking over ownership of the property, a first step toward selling the parcels to private developers.

Pacatte said we should expect an announcement on what's coming within the next 30 to 60 days.

Molino is also proud of the City's Pathway to Prosperity Plan, the first of the kind in the state, uniting the city, the county, the school district, the BDC and GCEDC in an arrangement to use funds generated by PILOT payments to help offset the cost of brownfield redevelopment.

The city has designated 366 acres in the primary corridor as the Batavia Opportunity Area (or Brownfield Opportunity Area), with the ability to offer special incentives to developers willing to turn blighted properties into economically viable properties.

The BDC is the lead agency in that effort.

Besides the tone of optimism during Wednesday's meeting, the overriding theme was, ready or not, the Millennials are taking over.  

In the United States, there are now more Millennials than Baby Boomers and by 2020, Millennials will make up nearly half of the nation's workforce.

And it turns out, Millennials and Baby Boomers aren't all that far apart in their wants and aspirations, putting Batavia in a prime position to serve both.

Both cohorts want livable communities, ones that are affordable, accessible and walkable. While boomers are downsizing, Millennials are conscious of their impact on the planet; boomers seek affordable services, Millennials watch their spending because of college debt loads; Boomers have accumulated the wealth to enjoy community living, Millennials are urban-minded.

Some 64 percent of Millennials want to start their own businesses, Boomers have the experience to be mentors and the means to be buyers and investors.  Boomers are team players, Millennials are collaborative. 

Both are interested in building communities that are engaging and filled with entertainment opportunities. They are interested in communities that offer a sense of place.

Pacatte ended her presentation with three questions for audience members to ponder:

• Are we investing in place?
• Do you see value in building a community?
• How optimistic are you?

 Wanda Frank 1926 - 2016

WBTA's local legendary and longtime on-air personality Wanda Frank passed away this morning at the Genesee County Nursing Home.

Although a native of Lockport, Wanda will always be linked to Batavia. She spent the most of her 89 years in Batavia, 23 of them on WBTA as hostess of “Frankly Speaking.”

Wanda served as executive director of the Genesee Arts Council for 10 years. For most of her life, she was involved in local theater as an actress and director, many years associated with Batavia Players.

Wanda left the air four years ago when her health began to fail. But well into her 80s she was interviewing community leaders, fellow actors, and promoting the arts.

Wanda had a quick wit and rarely shied away from speaking her mind.

In 1977, at the age of 51, she earned an associates degree from Genesee Community College, an accomplishment for which she was rightly proud.

She would later be named a Distinguished Alumna of GCC.

“Wanda was a colleague, a friend, and a character, who loved a good laugh. We'll miss her," said WBTA President Dan Fischer.

Arrangements for Wanda Frank will be announced later by the H. E. Turner and Company Funeral Home.

Coffee Culture at Court and Ellicott streets in the City of Batavia has closed.

Workers are removing the signs at this moment.

We have a call into corporate headquarters to see if we can get more information.

Businesses with digital signs should be able to change their message every 10 seconds, City Council President Eugene Jankowski suggested during Monday's council meeting.

He wants the city's Planning Board to review that suggested rule change and come back to the council with a recommendation. His fellow council members unanimously concurred.

The current ordinance is interpreted to prohibit a business from changing the message more than once every 24 hours.

Jeremy Liles, owner of Oliver's Candies, raised the issue with the city a couple of months ago after installing a new digital sign outside of his business at Main and Oak streets.

The suggested change, Jankowski said, is an important step toward supporting local businesses.

Press release:

At a Special Meeting of the Batavia Development Corporation (BDC) early January, President Ray Chaya thanked fellow Board Member Gregg Torrey for serving eight years as a director of the City’s economic development agency. The BDC instituted term limits during Torrey’s tenure. He has represented City business development efforts since June 2007 and served many years as an officer of the organization.

The BDC also elected three new members:

· Mary Valle, second generation Valle Jewelers business owner, active Vibrant Batavia volunteer and former Business Improvement District director;

· Steve Pies, fourth generation Max Pies Furniture business owner and past Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Board president;

· Pier Cipollone, former City Councilman and past BDC Board president.

Fellow Board members include Ray Chaya, Susie Boyce, Peter Casey, Kathy Ferrara, Jay Sackett, Barb Shine and ex-officio member, City Manager Jason Molino. The Board meets the fourth Wednesday of each month at 7:30 a.m. in City Hall.

Press release:

The Genesee County Economic Development Center and 1366 Technologies have developed an online intake form for local companies interested in pursuing potential supply chain/operational opportunities. The 1366 Technologies solar wafer manufacturing facility will be constructed in the town of Alabama and is scheduled to open in 2017.

“There is a tremendous amount of talent and skill in the Genesee County area. We’re excited to begin the process of identifying those companies across the region that will contribute to the success of our project and our operations in Alabama,” said Brian Eller, COO, 1366 Technologies.

The form can be accessed atwww.1366tech.com or www.wnystamp.com.

“The exciting thing about economic development is not only the direct jobs created by companies like 1366 Technologies, but the indirect jobs that are created through supply chain opportunities,” said GCEDC President and CEO Steve Hyde.

informANALYTICS, an economic development software tool, calculated that approximately 1,600 indirect jobs will be created. The overall economic impact of the direct, indirect and induced jobs is expected to be in the range of $1.5 billion.

One of the ways in which 1366 Technologies will conduct outreach to the supply chain network is through the marketing and business networking assistance of Buffalo Niagara Enterprise (BNE) and Greater Rochester Enterprise (GRE), both of which played a key role in attracting the company.

“Because of the highly skilled and talented workforce in the Finger Lakes and Western New York regions, 1366 Technologies is not going to have any problems finding the right partners to make their operations in New York State a tremendous success,” said Mark S. Peterson, president and CEO of GRE.

“The launch of the 1366 Technologies intake form provides great opportunities for Western New York companies and their employees to capitalize on this exciting high tech industry,” said BNE President and CEO Thomas A. Kucharski. “It also reinforces the longer term value of our economic development efforts by reminding us that 1366 Technologies’ economic impact extends well beyond their initial investment and job creation. That benefit will continue to grow with the success of this great company in our region.”